Graffiti impacts the neighborhood

With the warmer weather, businesses are starting to get up and get out. They are finding their buildings marked up with graffiti, impacting the quality of life in the Pine Hills neighborhood.

Many businesses have been targets of graffiti in the neighborhood./ Adriana Rosales

The eastern wall of Paesan’s Pizza, located at 289 Ontario St., has been a target of graffiti and owner Vincent Scavio ends up painting over the ‘street art’ himself.

“I thought people were done with graffiti and it seems like its coming back,” said Scavio.

The graffiti is actually affecting Scavio’s clientele with people not wanting to come into the business because it looks run down, he said. Scavio thinks the reason behind the spike in graffiti is due to the abandon buildings in the neighborhood. Heusually paints over the graffiti within a day after it appears, he said.

“It’s bad for business, bad for our neighborhood, and people don’t care,” said Scavio.

Outside of Madison’s Pizza there is a garbage can that is constantly being marked with graffiti./Adriana Rosales

There are two ways to report graffiti; a resident can call the police, or a passerby can use the city’s app: “SeeClickFix” where a photo can be uploaded and sent to the appropriate department.

The problem with the online app is that it is not quick enough said Dominick LaScala, owner of Madison Mart at 870 Madison Ave. between Partridge Street and Ontario Street. LaScala is taking action by removing graffiti in the general area around Madison Mart. He even has two cans of “Goof Off”, a type of graffiti remover. Business owners are not the only ones fed up with the issue, but residents are too.

“They need to stop it. It’s childish. It’s everywhere,” said Timmy Brook, who lives on Morris Street. “They even marked up the inside of the house we’re renovating now.”

According to code §255-38.1 sections A and B, property owners are responsible for painting over and removing graffiti within 20 days of written notice, said Eva Petkanas, community relations coordinator for the city department of general services.

However, if graffiti is not covered in a certain time or it is on public property, the city has a unit that goes out daily to cover the areas that have been vandalized, said Ptl. Joe Acquaviva

“There’s graffiti that’s useless and has no purpose, such as scribbles. While on the other hand there is graffiti that is art,” said LaScala. -30-